Apple's back-to-school promo packs less punch than years past

Apple on Tuesday officially kicked off its 2010 back-to-school promotion, an annual sale where students and school faculty can buy a Mac with education pricing and get a free 8GB iPod touch, a device that now costs $199.

Shoppers can save $50 on a low-end MacBook, up to $200 on a MacBook Pro, $100 on a MacBook Air, and up to $100 on an iMac desktop when purchased with an education discount through the Apple Store. Each new Mac comes with a free 8GB iPod touch, a $199 value — less than the hardware has cost during previous promotions. The $949 education price for the low-end MacBook is also higher than in years past.

The deal applies to new Macs bought with education pricing between May 25 and Sept. 7, 2010. Users will receive an online rebate for up to $199 in compensation for the second-generation 8GB iPod touch. Customers must submit their claim online within 90 days from when the order ships to be issued a rebate for the iPod touch.

Alternatively, customers can also receive $199 off a higher-capacity iPod touch or the 160GB iPod classic, $179 off a 16GB iPod nano, $149 off the 8GB iPod nano, a $99 discount for the stainless steel 4GB iPod shuffle, and $79 off the regular 4GB iPod shuffle.

Shoppers can buy through an Apple online store for education, retail store, authorized campus store, or call 1-800-MY-APPLE. Education discounts are available to faculty and staff of K-12 schools, as well as college students, professors, faculty and staff.

Apple kicked off its back to school promo in late May in 2009, giving away an 8GB iPod touch that then cost $229. In 2008, the sale began in early June, when the 8GB iPod touch cost $299. As is the case this year, customers could also receive a rebate toward the purchase of other iPod models as well.

All shoppers — students, faculty and otherwise — can also save money on Macs through AppleInsider's Mac Pricing Guide, updated daily and included below:

When I bough my mac in summer of 07 I got iPod video, which I think was around $250 at the time. While $199 might sound like a little bit less of a promotion, the price on the Macbooks also fell a good $100 since that time. So in effect you are getting $299, just 100 of it is instant and available during the recession.

Since I am graduating next year I hope we see amazing upgrades to macs, iPods, Office and MacOS by next summer. It will be the last time I can use my education discount.

Apple on Tuesday officially kicked off its 2010 back-to-school promotion, an annual sale where students and school faculty can buy a Mac with education pricing and get a free 8GB iPod touch, a device that now costs $199.

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The deal applies to new Macs bought with education pricing between May 25 and Sept. 7, 2010. Users will receive an online rebate for up to $199 in compensation for the second-generation 8GB iPod touch. Customers must submit their claim online within 90 days from when the order ships to be issued a rebate for the iPod touch.

..there's the silver line right there..

We all know, close enough for sure, that Steve Jobs will unveil a new iPhone generation on WWDC '10 next month. And along with that, most probably is also a new iPod touch, which is rumored to have a camera on its back.

I wonder if the deal will also applies to the much rumored new model, if it does coming out soon after Jobs announced it and still in the promo time frame. That would be a great deal, eh? I'll definitely going to "cheat a little", well maybe it'll need more than a little, but hey it's worth it..

Apple return policy on the receipt will show 2 weeks, unopened, with no re-stocking fee (10%). If someone want to return/repurchase, it can be done with just the receipt. It is 'returned' then sold back (manually entering the serial #, etc) then can scan in the iPod (now on the same receipt), and you can get the rebate online (do it before you leave the store).